San Antonio Cocktail Conference

Cocktail Conference kicks off with a new element: the after-party

Updated 10:57 am, Friday, January 18, 2013

Photo: EDWARD A. ORNELAS, San Antonio Express-News

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The San Antonio Cocktail Conference will bring together folks who will create unique cocktails and those who will drink them. The conference, which benefits Heartgift San Antonio, includes seminars, competitions and parties. Edward A, Ornelas/ San Antonio Express-News

FOR METRO - Dutch Kills Bar, in Queens, NY, bartender Zachary Gelnaw-Rubin prepares a "Forget-Me-Not" during the Original Cocktail Competition part of the San Antonio Cocktail Conference held Saturday Jan. 28, 2012. John Lermayer (not pictured) bartender at the Florida Room in Miami won the $2500 first prize.

FOR METRO - Dutch Kills Bar, in Queens, NY, bartender Zachary Gelnaw-Rubin prepares a "Forget-Me-Not" during the Original Cocktail Competition part of the San Antonio Cocktail Conference held Saturday Jan. 28,

FOR METRO - SoHo Wine & Martini Bar bartender Stephany Gordon prepares a "Cuddle 'N Spoon" during the Original Cocktail Competition part of the San Antonio Cocktail Conference held Saturday Jan. 28, 2012. John Lermayer (not pictured) bartender at the Florida Room in Miami won the $2500 first prize.

FOR METRO - CPS Energy employee Roy Galvan prepares a "Chachita" during the Original Cocktail Competition part of the San Antonio Cocktail Conference held Saturday Jan. 28, 2012. John Lermayer (not pictured) bartender at the Florida Room in Miami won the $2500 first prize.

FOR METRO - CPS Energy employee Roy Galvan prepares a "Chachita" during the Original Cocktail Competition part of the San Antonio Cocktail Conference held Saturday Jan. 28, 2012. John Lermayer (not pictured)

TASTE: Jake Corney prepares a Ivy Gimlet on Friday Jan. 6, 2012. Bohanan's has organized the San Antonio Cocktail Conference, the first of its kind for Texas. It's modeled after the Manhattan Cocktail Conference. Please shoot photos of bartenders mixing cocktails, the tools and ingredients they use, such as shakers, large format ice, etc. HELEN L. MONTOYA/hmontoya@express-news.net

TASTE: Jake Corney prepares a Ivy Gimlet on Friday Jan. 6, 2012. Bohanan's has organized the San Antonio Cocktail Conference, the first of its kind for Texas. It's modeled after the Manhattan Cocktail Conference. Please shoot photos of bartenders mixing cocktails, the tools and ingredients they use, such as shakers, large format ice, etc. HELEN L. MONTOYA/hmontoya@express-news.net

TASTE: Jake Corney prepares a Manhattan at Rome with a View on Friday Jan. 6, 2012. Bohanan's has organized the San Antonio Cocktail Conference, the first of its kind for Texas. It's modeled after the Manhattan Cocktail Conference. Please shoot photos of bartenders mixing cocktails, the tools and ingredients they use, such as shakers, large format ice, etc. HELEN L. MONTOYA/hmontoya@express-news.net

TASTE: Jake Corney prepares a Manhattan at Rome with a View on Friday Jan. 6, 2012. Bohanan's has organized the San Antonio Cocktail Conference, the first of its kind for Texas. It's modeled after the Manhattan

The best cocktail parties of the year are taking place at the second San Antonio Cocktail Conference.

The conference benefits Heartgift San Antonio, a group that provides life-saving heart surgery to children in developing countries. Daily seminars, two cocktail competitions and evening soirees are scheduled through Sunday. After-parties are new to this year's event, and there are three of them.

After Friday's River Level event, the Monterey restaurant will open for a ticketed after-party sponsored by Deep Eddy's Vodka from Austin.

Co-owner Chad Carey wanted to be a part of this year's event after he attended last year's conference.

“It didn't just exceed my expectations, it really kind of blew my mind that (Bohanan's was) able to do something with almost no financial help, almost no budget, and make it such a cool event,” he said.

Two after-parties in Alamo Plaza will follow Saturday night's Street Level event. Guests at La Vista Terrace will enjoy cocktails as they overlook the Alamo at night, while the 86 Co., the new liquor brand co-owned by Jason Kosmas, who co-founded Employees Only in New York and lives in Dallas, will take over the Menger Hotel Bar and keep the menu simple with well-made versions of Palomas, sangritas, Cuba Libres and daiquiris using Tequila Cabeza and Caña Brava Rum.

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“There's a time and a place for everything, and we don't need to showboat at that point in the evening,” Kosmas said.

Other don't-miss diversions during the conference include an aperitif happy hour Friday at the Monterey, where guests will sample “some really geeky undiscovered aperitif stuff” from the Haus Alpenz portfolio, Carey said.

There will be event transportation through most of the conference, but attendees should plan for a responsible ride home. Gabriel's Liquors will also provide taxi vouchers at each venue for those who need assistance getting home. For more information and event tickets, see www.sanantoniococktailconference.com.